Local Singings in Georgia

There are several local shape-note singing groups in Georgia
that meet four or more times a year for about 2 hours at a time. These singings are less formal than all-day singings. Since they meet frequently and tend to
attract the same group of people each time, they offer an especially comfortable environment for practicing
singing and leading skills. Newcomers are always welcome.

Alpharetta S.O.F.A. Singing

These evening singings are held on the Friday before the third Sunday of September, October, February, and April, 7:30-9:30 pm, at Big Creek Primitive Baptist Church, Alpharetta, GA. (1991 Sacred Harp)

Book: 1991 Sacred Harp

Directions from Atlanta: Take Georgia Highway 400 to Exit 10, Old Milton Parkway.
Go east on Old Milton for 2.6 miles. Turn left at the light onto Kimball
Bridge Road. Go 0.2 miles. The church is on the left.

For more information: Faye Holbrook, (706) 636-1707

Athens Monthly Singing

The Athens monthly singing is one of two in the Athens area. (The other is in Ila; see below.) Singers meet at Shannon’s house each month on the ‘Teenth Tuesday to sing from the 1991 Sacred Harp, 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. (with optional beginners’ session at 6:00 p.m.). For more information or directions, please contact Shannon Primm at sprimm -at- yahoo.com or see the "Athens, Georgia Sacred Harp Sing" facebook group.

Atlanta's Biweekly Sacred Harp Singing

This singing is one of three inside the Atlanta perimeter. (The others are in Virginia-Highland and near Decatur; see below.) It meets the on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays in the Oakhurst neighborhood at Trinity Anglican Mission Eastside at 7:00 pm, 630 E. Lake Drive, Decatur, GA 30030. It is especially geared toward newer Sacred Harp singers (though we always have some experienced singers to help) and is a great setting to learn and practice unfamiliar songs.

For more information: contact John Kelso 678.668.5766, or Matt Hinton at mattandericahinton -at- yahoo.com, 404.918.4914 or join the "Atlanta's Biweekly Sacred Harp Singing" Facebook group. The location, address, and time is also posted on the upcoming singings page.

Atlanta (Virginia Highland) Monthly Singing

Third Sunday of the month at Church of Our Saviour in Virginia Highland. We'll start with a minisinging school from 6-6:25 and then singing from 6:30-8:30. Church of our Saviour, Garrison Hall (building across from main church entrance) 1068 North Highland Ave. Atlanta, GA 30306. Parking along N. Highland or Los Angeles. Metered spaces are free on Sunday. Contact Amy Armstrong at 404-436-4522 or amyarmstrongmidwife at gmail dot com for additional information..

Bremen/West Georgia Monthly Practice Singing

The monthly practice singing in Bremen is starting again beginning Thursday, April 16th, 2015. We will be holding it each month at Holly Springs Primitive Baptist Church in Bremen on the Third Thursday at 7pm. This is a new endeavor, so everything is subject to change, but right now that is the plan. Watch for an announcement if there are any changes. At this time we do not plan to hold a singing school and plan to sing for approximately 1 hour. Directions: Take exit #11 from I-20, turn south on Hwy. 27, go to top of hill at service station, turn left on Holly Springs Rd., go to dead end and turn left, church is on left. Contact: Jason Stanford, jason.t.stanford -at- gmail -dot- com, (352)222-9311.

Decatur Monthly Shape Note Singing

Our informal First Thursday singing
is a good place for beginners in the Atlanta area to learn this
style of music. We begin at 7:30 with a brief explanation and a walk-through of Old Hundred, a tune familiar to many as the Doxology.
Participants then take turns choosing songs from the Sacred Harp (1991 ed.) until 8:30. During a short break for refreshments, we pass
out copies of An Eclectic Harmony, a shape note sampler book that includes several beloved late 19th century
hymns. Singing continues from both books until 9:30.
Songbooks are available to borrow, buy, or share.

2015 Dates

January 8*

March 31***

July 2(per our flyers)

October 1

February 5

May 7

August 6

November 5

March 5

June 4

September 3

December 19**

* Meet on the 2nd Thursday because of the holiday.*** April singing moved to the Tuesday before because the room is unavailable Maundy Thursday.** All-day (10 am - 3 pm) Christmas singing and potluck at the East Lake Commons community house, 900 Dancing Fox Road, Decatur, 30032.

We meet from 7:30 to 9:30 pm in the
Emory Presbyterian Church fellowship building, 1886 North Decatur Road, Atlanta, GA 30307.

Directions:
The church is 1/2 mile west of the intersection of Clairmont and North Decatur Road, on your right coming from Clairmont.
Mapquest map

From I-85: take exit 91, Clairmont Road, and turn south, toward Emory University. Go 3.9 miles to North
Decatur Road, turn right onto North Decatur, and go 1/2 mile. The church is at the corner of Westminster Way and North Decatur. Turn right on Westminster and left into the parking lot behind the church. We sing in the education building to the right of the church.

From the east side of I-285: take US-78 west (exit 39), which ends by merging with Lawrenceville Highway.
Lawrenceville Highway bears right and turns into Scott Boulevard. The next intersection is star-shaped.
Turn right onto the major cross street, which is North Decatur. Go 1.4 miles, turn right on Westminster Way, and left into the church parking lot.

Hoboken Monthly Singing

Hoboken is a small town in South Georgia near Waycross and the Okefenokee Swamp.
This monthly (Cooper Book) singing is over 50 years old. We sing at 7:00 pm on the Saturday before the third Sunday of every month except for October (we put off for the Tri-State sing which is held in Hoboken every third year), December (we have a New Year's Eve Sing) and March (which is our annual all day sing). The singing location is Mars Hill Primitive Baptist Church,9 Mars Hill Road Hoboken, GA 31542.

Directions: From Waycross, go east on Hwy 82 for 11.5 miles. Turn left on Central Ave. Extension and follow it for 1.5 miles. The church is on the right. From Hoboken, go west on Hwy 82 for 1 mile and turn right on Central Ave Extension.

Ila Monthly Singing

The Ila singing is one of two in the Athens area. Days and times vary. Check the upcoming singings page for this month's details.
Held at the home of John and Elsie Hollinsgworth near Ila, (706) 789-3916. Singing is from Christian Harmony
(2010 revision, loaners provided) and 1991 Sacred Harp.

Directions to the Hollingsworths':

From Athens: Take Hwy. 29 N and bear left onto 106 N at the light near the Ingles store;
at the next light (about a mile), turn right to stay on 106 N. After you pass the 9-mile marker, turn left onto
Adams Clark Road at the "Hill's Automotive" sign. Follow Adams Clark Road 1.5 miles to mailbox on right,
# 1574. When driveway forks, bear left.

From I-85 North: Take Exit 149 to Hwy 441 at Banks Crossing outlet malls (near Commerce).
Turn right onto 441 south. Go about 5 miles to Hwy 98 and turn left. In about 8 miles you'll reach a 4-way stop in Ila.
Turn right and go 0.8 mile, then turn right on Adams-Clark Road and proceed as above.

From the east: From 4-way stop in Ila, go south on Hwy 106 for 0.8 mile, turn right on Adams-Clark Road
and proceed as above.

For more information: John Hollingsworth, john -at- billnet.org, (706) 789-3916

Savannah Monthly Singing

The Savannah singing is held the Saturday before the second Sunday of each month,
1:00 - 4:00 pm, Skidaway Island Presbyterian Church, 50 Diamond Causeway, Savannah.
Singing is from the 1991 Sacred Harp and the B. F. White Sacred Harp (Cooper book), loaners provided.

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Last updated June 28, 2015. Additions, corrections, comments, or questions?
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